1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a television remote control adaptor which includes a plurality of exterior buttons for manipulating the control buttons of the remote control unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
TV remote control units have become very popular in recent years because they permit television viewers to turn a television on and off, control volume and change channels from a remote location. While TV remote controls have many advantages, they do, however, have a number of disadvantages. First, because they are manipulated so frequently, they tend to get dropped and broken on a regular basis. Second, because they are generally small and dark in color, they are relatively easy to lose. Third, because prior art TV remote control cases are small in size, they are also difficult to handle. Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, the control buttons tend to be relatively small and, therefore, hard to locate by those with limited visual capabilities and difficult to manipulate by those who have manual handicaps. These problems are just beginning to be appreciated and, consequently, there is only a modest body of relevant prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,360 entitled ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT REMOTE CONTROL UNIT CHASSIS describes a conventional television remote control unit which is received within a drawer which fits within a housing. While that device does protect the TV remote control unit, it is, nevertheless, moderately complex and difficult to operate.
The general concept of placing existing remote control units within a protective housing is disclosed in other parts of the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,412 entitled REMOTE CONTROL UNIT INTEGRATOR CONSOLE describes a unit in which a plurality of different remote control devices are placed within a single chassis. See also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,405 entitled CHANNEL SELECTING PANEL HOLDER FOR A TELEVISION SET in which a remote control transmitter is located within a protective housing that may or may not be stored within the confines of a television-like chassis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,230 entitled HOUSING FOR HAND-HELD REMOTE CONTROL TRANSMITTER describes a chassis which is sealable so that it is water-tight and dust free.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,964,594 and 4,092,527 relate to mechanisms for manipulating the keys of pushbutton devices.
The disclosures in the following patents may also be relevant to the basic concept: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,127,876; 4,389,731; 4,623,887; 4,626,848; 4,899,370; and 4,959,810.
In view of the foregoing, there appears to be a significant need for a protective remote control adaptor which permits the TV viewer to easily manipulate the underlying control pushbuttons and which provides the user with a larger adapter unit which is easier to hold and manipulate than the original, small TV remote control unit.